1) Frequent colonization of both gastric chambers was detected; 2) Aerobes, anaerobes and fungi were represented in both situations; 3) Gastric pH as well as bacterial count was higher in the functioning proximal stomach; 4) Breath test was positive in 40.5% of the subjects; 5) Clinical manifestation such as diarrhea, malabsorption or pneumonia were not demonstrated; 6) Further histologic and microbiologic studies of both the stomach and the small bowel are recommended.

SUMMARYBotulism is a rare and potentially lethal illness caused by Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin. We describe the findings of a laboratorial investigation of 117 suspected cases of botulism reported to the surveillance system in Brazil from January 2000 to October 2008. Data on the number and type of samples analyzed, type of toxins identified, reporting of the number of botulism cases and transmission sources are discussed. A total of 193 clinical samples and 81 food samples were analyzed for detection and identification of the botulism neurotoxin. Among the clinical samples, 22 (11.4%) presented the toxin (nine type A, five type AB and eight with an unidentified type); in food samples, eight (9.9%) were positive for the toxin (five type A, one type AB and two with an unidentified type). Of the 38 cases of suspected botulism in Brazil, 27 were confirmed by a mouse bioassay. Laboratorial botulism diagnosis is an important procedure to elucidate cases, especially food-borne botulism, to confirm clinical diagnosis and to identify toxins in food, helping sanitary control measures.

The presence of Salmonella in 200 raw food samples of animal origin was investigated by means of the rapid immunoassays Tecra Salmonella VIA and Tecra Salmonella UNIQUE (Tecra Diagnostics, Rosewille, New South Wales, Australia) and a cultural procedure. Forty-five samples (22.5%) were Salmonella positive by at least one of the three methods. The number of positive samples according to the analytical method was 34 (75.6%) for the cultural procedure, 29 (64.4%) for Tecra Salmonella VIA, and 27 (60.0%) for Tecra Salmonella UNIQUE. Tecra Salmonella UNIQUE detected three positive samples that were not detected by the two other methods. The cultural method also detected three positive samples that both rapid methods were unable to detect. McNemar's chi-square tests indicated that the differences between results given by the rapid immunoassays when compared with those of the cultural method were not significant (P > 0.05).

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Cronobater spp. (E. sakazakii) é considerada um micro-organismo oportunista que vem ganhando atenção de autoridades de Saúde Pública, pelo crescente número de surtos de infecção em recém–nascidos e lactentes. A bactéria está associada a casos raros, com alta taxa de mortalidade, podendo causar meningites, enterocolite necrosante e septicemia. Cronobacter spp. tem ampla disseminação, porém apenas as fórmulas lácteas infantis em pó foram, epidemiologicamente, associadas às doenças causadas por esse agente. No presente estudo foi avaliada a ocorrência de Cronobacter spp. em alimentos destinados às crianças de 0-36 meses de idade, adquiridos em lactário de um hospital público do município de São Paulo. Vinte e seis amostras de fórmulas reconstituídas e 24 produtos em pó foram analisados segundo a metodologia da ISO. Cronobacter spp. foi detectada em uma amostra (3,8%) reconstituída de alimento infantil à base de farinha de milho e em quatro desse produto em pó (16,7%). A bactéria não foi detectada nas fórmulas infantis destinadas às crianças de 0-6 meses, contudo sua presença em outros alimentos infantis pode contribuir para a contaminação do ambiente e dos utensílios dos lactários por meio da contaminação cruzada.